Sleigh



(No Model.)

S. C. FELT. SLEIGH.

Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SETII C. FELT, OF NEW BOSTON, MICHIGAN.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,584, dated September 10, 1889.

Application filed June 12,1889. Serial No.314,053. (No model.)

To all whom t 71mg/ concern.-

Be it known that I, SETH C. FELT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Boston, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleighs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sleighs; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction ofthe runners and runner-frame and of the connection between the two parts; further, in the peculiar construction of a shoe adapted to be attached to the runners, and, further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved sleigh. Fig. 2 is a per spective view of one of the runner-frames with the shoe attached. Fig. is a vertical section on line :c in Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are details showing the manner of attaching the wooden shoe to the runner. Fig. 6 is a detail section through the forward connection of the runner, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same.

AA are the runner-frames, consisting of the runners B, preferably made of angleiron, and the knees C, secured to the upturned iiange of the angleiron. There are two sets of the knees, or the knees are bifurcated, one set or bifurcation of the knees extending outward to support the raves D, and the other set or bifurcation extending inward. A frame E, preferably of iron, is supported and secured on top of the knees, and suitable braces F connect this frame with the runners to give the necessary rigidity.

G is an axle supported upon the frame E and securing the two runner-frames together, allowing each to have a pivotal motion independent of the other. vinmthe following manner: a are blocks secured at their ends upon the axle-frame E, near the rave D, and l) are blocks secured upon the axle-frame E, upon the inside thereof, and suitable apertures are made through these blocks in line with each other, and the axle is secured therein in any suitable manner, such as by the washers and pins d.

.I J are springs secured to the axle by clips J', with bearing-blocks J E, clamped between the spring and axle. These springs project rearwardly from the axle and form C-shaped extensions, which terminate, preferably, in shackles J 3, for receiving the ends of a connecting-bar J4, and at the same time serving as means for holding one end of the strap I, which suspends the rear end of the body K from the rear end of the springs.

To the under side of the body are secured the rearwardly-projecting bars K', which are provided at their ends with guide-loops K2, for holdingrthe straps in engagement with the under side of said bars, while the inner ends of the straps are engaged into loops K3, secured some distance from the rear ends of the bars K.

K4 are buckles for adjusting the length of the straps, and K5 is a cross-bar secured at the ends to the bars K and between said ends to the under side of the body.

At their forward ends the springs are connecte-d to a cross-bar Il, which is secured at or near its middle to the crossbar M, connecting the front ends of the runners A.

The forward end of the body K is suspended by straps O from the cross-bar L in a similar manner to the rear end. Suitable bars Il are secured to the under side of the body, and, projecting forwardly, form bearings for the straps, which have suitable adj ustin g-buckles.

I is a detachable shoe secured to the under side of the runners A, preferably in the followingmanner: Its rear end e. is bifurcated and turned up so as to form a suitable socket f, into which the angle-iron may be detachably engaged. At the forward end this shoe is provided with a stud g, adapted to enter a corresponding aperture 71, in the ruimer, and provided with a bolt-hole fi, in which the spri11g-bolt j is adapted to enter, being held in position by the spring k, secured on the upright portion of the angle-iron, and a turnbutton l, preferably having two arms, one of which is adapted to pass under the spring, holds the bolt in engagement, while the other arm is adapted, when desired, to be turned upon the spring and hold the bolt in it-s retracted position.

At one or more of the knees, for additional security, I preferably attach the shoe by means IOO of standards m and n, the standard m being rigidly secured to the shoe and provided with a shoulder o, adapted to pass over the upper end of the vertical flange of the angle-iron. The standard 'n has a foot r, which fits over the horizontal portion of the angle-iron, and an upright portion,which closely fits against the upright portion of the knee. Itis secured in position by engaging with the slot p in its foot on a headed rivet or pin on the angleiron and by a collar or sleeve s on the knee,

which slips over the top of the standard, all

soa arranged that by slipping the collar up the stan dard n may be turned out of the way sufiicicntly to permit of taking off the shoe.

To prevent the sluing of the sleigh, as would naturally occur with a very wide shoe in turning, I secure a small bar P to the under side of the shoe. This bar may extend the entire length of the shoe, or only a small portion thereof. In Fig. 4 I show a modification of this attachment, showing the method of securing my shoe to a sleigh of ordinary construction having a wooden runner t. This shoe is provided with the uprights t', adapted to closely fit against the sides of the runner. The uprights are provided with a suitable aperture to receive a wedge-shaped pin u, which passes through the apertures in the standard, and a collar u', adapted to fit over the standard and provided with a shoulder which will cover either both ends of the pin or the larger end thereof, thereby holding it securely in position against accidental displacement.

I preferably arrange a block o, having a series of notches fu of varying depth, between the pin and the runner, so that it may be tightly wedged in position, and may be used on runners of different thicknesses.

The parts being thus constructed and arranged, they are intended to operate as follows: My sleigh may be used with or Without the shoes, the object of which is to present a broad bearing-surface or runner in case of very light snows, or in very deep and heavy snows, so that the sleigh will not sink in. It has'been found in practice that shoes of this kind will enable the sleigh to run with comparative ease and smoothness when the snow but barely covers the ground, and in deep snows that the sleigh Will ride over the top of the snow, sinking but a small distance in, where an ordinary runner could not bc used at all. The horses, having so ymuch lighter draft in deep snow with the use of my shoe,` can draw the load where with a runner which would cut into the snow they could not make any progress at all.

By connecting the two runner-frames together in the pivotalrelation,and supporting the body upon springs with flexible connections, in riding over rough roads the sleigh is not strained in any part, and the rider feels to the least possible extent the jarring motion due to the roughness of the roadway.

One runner can assume an angular position to the body without disturbing the position of the other runner in any particular, whereby effecting the beneficial result in use of the above motion. The shaft Q may be attached in any suitable manner to give a draw or a side draft, as desired.

What I claim as my invention is l. In a sleigh, a runner-frame consisting of the following elements: an angle-iron runner B, knees C, raves D, and axleframes E, substantially as described.

2. In a sleigh, the combination, with the runner thereof, of a detachable shoe having a hook e and studs g, substantially as described. I

In a sleigh, the combination, with the runner thereof, of a detachable shoe secured at its rear end by a hook and at the forward end by a stud and bolt passing through an aperture in the runner, and at or near the middle by standards, substantially as dscribed,

LL. In a sleigh,the combination, with an angle-iron runner, of a detachable shoe having the hook e, studs g, and standards m and n,

adapted to embrace said angle-iron, and the sleeves s, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a sleigh, a shoe -having a wide bearing adapted to be detachably secured to the runner, substantially as described.

6. In a sleigh, the springs, the body fieXibly connected thereto,'the axle, the frames supporting said axle, the braces for said.

frames, the knees for supporting the frames, the angle-runners from which the knees rise, and the shoes connected to the runners and having supplemental bars, substantially as described.

7. In a sleigh, the runners, the shoes, the bifurcated knees rising from the runners, and the frames supported on the knees, substantially as described. f

8. In a sleigh, the shoe having the socket and stud, the runner having one end fitting in the socket, and having an opening toreceive the stud, and the catch on the runner engaging the said stud, for securing the shoe and runner together, substantially as described. f I

9. In a sleigh, theangle-runners, the shoes connected to said runners,the standards connecting the runners and shoes, the kneesv rising from the runners, the frame supported on the knees, the aXle bearingon the` frames, the springs supported on the axle, and the body supported on the springs, substantially as described. f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of February, 1889. SETI-I C. FELT.

Witnesses:

J. PAUL MAYER, W. A. Ross.

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